Metal wheel



f '1,502,759 C. E. WADE METAL WHEEL July 29. 1924 Filedl Oct. '7. 921

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C.I E. WADE July 29 1924.

METAL WHEEL oruga@ Patented duly 2, E24.

CHARLES E. WADE, OF DETROIT, ICHIGAN', ASSIG-NOE T0 JEJFON FORGE PROD- UCTS COMPANY, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION l0F MICHIGAN.

METAL WHEEL.

vApplication led October 7, 1921. Serial No. 506,082.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. WADE,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Wheels, of

y which ,the following is a specification.

Myv invention relates to metal'wheels and has for its general object to provide a wheel suitable for use `on vehicles and adapted to be made principally of a forging or forgings. On of the particular4 objects of my invention is to provide a construction where? ina forged unit of wheel structure may be Fig. 2 is a section ,on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

v Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are spoke sections on lines 4.-4, 5 5 and 6 6, respectively, of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section generally similar to Fig. 2,- showing a Inodied embodiment of my invention; Fig. 8 is a similar view showing another modification; Fig.

9 is a similar view showing a diiferent modification; Fig. 10 is a similar view showing a different modification; Fig. l1 is a slde elevation, generally similar to Fig. 1, show- 'ing another modification; Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12.-'-12 of Fig. 11; and Figs. 13 and 14 are fragmentary sections, showing differentmodilied means for securing the spokes to the l felloa rIhroughout the drawings -like numerals of reference refer'to'like parts.

In the construction shown. in Figs. 1 and 2, the wheel 'com rises in an integral forging a center-bo y 20 from which spring radial spokes-2l the roots of which merge into the center`body'and the tips of which are suitably unitedv to a felloe 22, that preferably is forged integrally therewith and that preferably has, integrally forged there.

on at suitable intervals, lugs 24 to receive, apertures 25 made therein, the retaining liflxlts for azrim-structure, notO shown.

The spokes 2i. are" preferably arranged' in a slightly dished formation and may be thinwalled but of channeled or parti-tubular section and swelled contour, with their tips spreading somewhat to merge into the felloe as indicated at 26. 0n account of their channel shape the depth (i. e., over-all dimension transversely to the plane of the wheel) of each spoke at its root 27 is much greater than the thickness of the relatively .thin dished disk 28 that forms part of the center-body. I prefer that the roots of the spokes, thus inwardly overhanging, as it were, the disk` portion 28, be joined or merged by connecting webs or metal bodies 29 that will extend substantially to what I llnady term the innermost plane of the centero y. Inwardly projecting from the dished disk are a suitable series of strengtheningosts 30 terminating in theinner plane o the center-body, each apertured as at 81 for bolt-reception and preferably all united by and forming bulges or extensions from an annular. Hangs-portion 32, of rather small diameter, combining low weight and great strength, that preferably also extends to.

the innermost plane of the center-body,

greatly stiffening the structure and aiiording a foundation for attachment of parts for completion of the wheel assembly. The

'posts 30 are preferably ositioned in a circle of somewhat smaller ra ius than that which will touch the bottoms of the` interspoke spaces and since the flange formation 32 and the webs 2 9 rather closely approach they may be merged or united as at 33.

At its radially-inner perimeter the dished disk 28 merges into a deep collar 34 one end face o1' which preferably also lies substantially to the inner plane ofthe centerbody and the depth of which is great enough to afford substantial bearing for its intended purpose. The radially-outer perimeter of the collar is preferably s aced from said flange 32, and at interva s webs 35, preferably radial traverse the l intervening space, the We s shown merging into the posts 30 and the collar 3d.

The collar 34 may have a center o ning F36' of just suiiicient size to be readi y macliined to receive a standard wheel-hub 37 of some 'ven vmake of vehicle, and the attaching ligalnge 38 of said hub may extend to and overlie the posts 30' in substantially the inner plane of the center-body, and be secured thereto by bolts 39, passing through the openings-30. In the construction shown in Fig. 1() a Ford hub 37 is shown, so attached, making a front wheel structure suitable for the Ford automobile. Itis m preferenoe, Where the metal surfaces of boltedtogether parts meet flush or in a plane, to interpose thin shims 40 of fiber or the like between the adjoiningsurfaces to prevent noise and to take up slight irregularities in the confronting surfaces.

As shown in Fig. 2 a 'brake drum 41, hav-l ing a brake-receptive rim 42 that may be of standard dimensions, may also be secured upon the bolts 39, this brake drum being a sheet-metal cup `with its annular bottom 43 resting flat against the inner surface of the hub and completing an assembly suitable for a rear wheel of an automobile.

As shown in Fig. 7 a forging combining a suitable hub structure 37a and a brake drum 42u may be secured to the bolts 39, or, as shown in Fig. 8, a brake drum 42" alone may be secured to the bolts 39 and the hub 37b forged in an integral piece with the collar portion of the structure. In Fig. 9 a

hub 37c alone is shown attached to the bolts 39, and a brake drum 42, is forged integrally with the spoke structures as a strengthening flange concentric with and surrounding the area that provides the posts 30c and their connecting annular flange 32C.

In Figs. 11 and l2 .I have disclosed a wheel in which the felloe 22 is formed, preferably forged, separately from the integral forged unit comprising the central body portion 20 and the spokes 21. An annular rib or bead 50 on the interior periphery of the felloe 22 is recessed at uniform or regu.- lar intervals, as indicated at 49, to accommodate the outer ends of the spokes which are provided with integral webs 51 closing or spanning1 their channels. The spokes, except for t e webs 51, and the rim, except for the recesses 49, are substantially the same as those already described in detail. The webs 51 are preferably secured to the felloe by means of rivets 52 extending through aligned apertures in the webs and felloe, the outer ends of the apertures in the felloe being countersunk to accommodate the flattened ends of the rivets. Instead of emplo ing rivets to fasten the spokes to the fe loe, screws 53, as shown in Fig. 13, may he used, the screws, which project throughthe apertures in the webs 51, being screwed into the screw-threaded apertures in the felloe. If desired the outer ends of the spokes may be attached to the felloe by a suitable welding operation, as indicated by the welds 54 in Fig. 14, the use of screws or rivets then being eliminated.

The center-body 20 of the wheel, shown in Figs. 11 and 12, is constructed somewhat meagre@ differently than that of the wheel shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but it is obvious that the wheel shown in Figs. 11 and 12 is adapted for use in connection with any of the forms of hubs and brake-drums shown in the various figures, it being illustrated as with which the roots of the spokes merge and the radiating ribs or posts 56 extend integrally and inwardly from the disc portion of the center-body and merge at their ends in the flanges 60 and 61. Four of the depressions 55 are of rather irregular triangular shape, bulges or extension 58 on certain of the ribs or posts 56 being provided to project into the depressions for the purpose of accommodating or aifordin equal or regular spacing of the apertures 5g?.

lt will be observed that the constructions described provide advantageously and effectively for the Y unitary forging of the spokes and a center-body vthat is provided with an integral inwardly extending series of connecting posts or ribs and a post-uniting Hange, whereby the center structure of the wheel is effectively made of light construction, yet Well strengthened and conveniently adapted for the reception of detachable parts that will adapt the major.

forgings for use in front-wheel and in rearivheel assemblies for different makes of vehicles.

The light, strong forged structure thus provided compares favorably with wooden wheels in light-ness while far excelling them in strength, and lends itself to artistic design without sacrifice of the qualities of adaptability and of economy in quantity manufacture that result from the advantageous constructions described.

I do not broadly claim a forged or unitary structure comprising a center-body, spokes and felloe, but rather the improvements on such heretofore-known wheels residing in the arrangement of a center-body to cooperate with separately-made adjunctive parts such as hub and brake drum constructions.

While I have herein shown, for greater simplicity, several modifications embodying features of my invention all based on a common illustrative factor of dimension and general wheel design, it will be understood that this convenient simplification of the showing is not intended to limit my invenstructure spokes and center-body having an asoavee i tion and that Amany changes in design andv im details of construction may be made .without departure from the spirit of my invention within the scope of the appended claims.

vI claim: u 1. A meta-l wheel comprising in'a unitary structure spokes and a center-body, said open-centered disk portion and a strengtheningportion projecting laterally inwardly from the disk portion vand means f strengthening portion to the hub of the for securing said Wheel. t

2. A metal Wheel comprising in a unitary a. center-body, said center-body having an portion and a strengthening portion ro- ]ecting laterally inwardly from the isk portion, and means for securing a vehicle brake drum structure to said strengthening portion. v

3. A metal Wheel comprising in a unitary a center-body, said portlon and a strengthening portion projecting laterally inwardly;` from the disk portion, and means for securing a separate hub and brake drum of said Wheelto the strengthening portion of said unitary structure.

4. A metal wheel comprising in a unitary structure spokes and a center-bod ,said cen- 4 ter-body having an open-centere disk. or-

tion and a strengthening portion projecting laterally inwardly from the disk porton, and means for jointly securing to said` open-centered disk stren enl ortion of the unitar structure tghtela1 hdgad'brake drum of saidy wheel.

5. In ajforged Wheel, a unitary structure comprising spokes and a center-body into which the roots of said spokes merge, .said center-body providing a disk portion, a collar portion, p and laterally projecting strengthening posts on the disk portion terminating at the inner plane of the center-structure.

6. In a forged wheel, a unitary structure comprising spokes and a center-body into which the vroots of said spokes merge, said center-body providing a dlsk ortion, a collar portion, and an inward yl projecting flange on the disk structure termlnating at the lner plane of the center-structure.

7 A forged structural unit for Wheels, comprising radial spokes and a center-body into which' the roots of said spokes merge,

saidcenter-body comprising an open collar and a disk ortion extending from said collar and, wlthin the confines of said disk portion an annular laterally projecting strengthening structure.

8. A Aforged structural unit for Wheels, comprising radial spokes and a center-body into which the roots of said spokes merge, said center-body comprising an open collar and a disk `ortionextending from said collar and, wit in the conines of said disk portion an annular laterally projectingiange having strengtheningpost enlargements apertured for the reception of adjunct-attaching means.

CHAS. E. WADE. 

